Detector for cold movement detection of a railway vehicle, and method for its operation

• US 20120241566A1
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Deutschland GmbH (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Deutschland GmbH (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Lauterberg, Veit
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/122.R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/021 Measuring and recording of train speed

Abstract

An inventive detector detects movement of a railway vehicle in a powerless time interval. At its beginning, indicator items or first magnetic antagonists of detection cells are lifted by actuators to a switching device, which provides at least one holding section or second magnetic antagonist for a part of the indicator items which then stick to or near to the switching device by magnetic force. The switching device, though, is movably mounted and coupled to the railway vehicle'"'"'s movement, so the holding section moves relative the detection cells if the railway vehicle moves. As a result, detection cells from which the holding section moves away experience a drop of the indicator item due to gravity. By means of sensors, such a drop is detected at the end of the time interval and used for cold movement indication.

Claims

1. A detector for cold movement detection of a railway vehicle, comprising

a) a switching device comprising at least one holding section (HS) and at least one non-holding section (NHS), wherein the switching device is moveable between at least two device positions by a mechanical coupling to the railway vehicle'"'"'s movement;

and

b) at least two detection cells, each comprising

an indicator item,

a guide along which the indicator item is movable between a top item position and a bottom item position, wherein the guide is oriented basically parallel to gravity,

an actuator capable of moving the indicator item between the top and bottom item position, and

a sensor for determining the position of the indicator item;

wherein the detection cells are positioned below the switching device such that

in each device position of the at least two device positions of the switching device, at least one detection cell is close to a holding section (HS), and at least one detection cell is close to a non-holding section (NHS),

under the effect of gravity (G) and without participation of the actuator, an indicator item in a top item position of a detection cell close to a holding section (HS) is close enough to the holding section (HS) so it is held by magnetic force in the top item position, and an indicator item in a top item position of a detection cell close to a non-holding section (HS) drops to the bottom item position,

and upon moving to a next device position of the at least two device positions of the switching device, at least one detection cell changes from being close to a holding section (HS) to being close to a non-holding section (NHS).

2. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the at least one holding section (HS) is ferromagnetic, the at least one non-holding section (NHS) is non-ferromagnetic, and the indicator item is a permanent magnet or at least comprises a permanent magnet.

3. Detector according to claim 2, wherein the actuator is an electromagnetic coil.

4. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises at least three detection cells in particular wherein in each device position of the at least two device positions, at least two detection cells are close to a holding section (HS).

5. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the detection cells are positioned below the switching device such that upon moving through all device positions of the at least two device positions, each detection cell is close to a non-holding section (NHS) at least once.

6. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the detection cells are positioned below the switching device such that upon moving to a next device position of the at least two device positions, at least one detection cell changes from being close to a non-holding section (NHS) to being close to a holding section (HS).

7. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is mounted such that the movement of the switching device upon the railway vehicle'"'"'s movement is cyclic.

8. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a Reed switch.

9. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is designed as a toothed wheel.

10. Detector according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is designed as a slide.

11. A method for operating a detector wherein according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is coupled to a railway vehicle'"'"'s movement, and wherein the at least one non-holding section (NHS) and the at least one holding section (HS) are distributed in order that each of the at least two device positions, exactly N detection cells of all A detection cells are close to the holding section (HS), the method comprising:

i) with the railway vehicle stopped;

ii) moving all indicator items into the top item position by the actuators, and the actuators are deactivated;

iii) waiting for an arbitrary time interval;

iv) determining the positions of the indicator items by the sensors, and counting the number B of indicator items in a bottom item position;

v) if B>

(A−

N) then a cold movement of the railway vehicle having taken place during step iii) is indicated.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein before step ii), a checking procedure is done comprising the following steps:

i′

) all indicator items are moved into the bottom item position by the actuators,

ii′

) the positions of the indicator items are determined by the sensors, and the number B of indicator items in a bottom item position are counted;

iii′

) if B<

A then a malfunction of the detector is indicated.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein between steps ii) and iii), a checking procedure is done comprising the following steps:

i″

) the positions of the indicator items are determined by the sensors, and the number B of indicator items in a bottom item position are counted;

ii″

) if B>

(A−

N) then a malfunction of the detector is indicated.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein before step i), a checking procedure is done comprising the following steps:

i′

″

) all indicator items are moved into the top item position by the actuators, and the actuators are deactivated;

ii′

″

) drive some distance with the railway vehicle such that all device positions of the at least two device positions have been gone through at least once;

iii′

″

) the positions of the indicator items are determined by the sensors, and the number B of indicator items in a bottom item position are counted;

iv′

″

) if B<

A then a malfunction of the detector is indicated.

15. A method for operating a detector according to claim 1, wherein the switching device is coupled to a railway vehicle'"'"'s movement,

and wherein the at least one non-holding section (NHS) and the at least one holding section (HS) are distributed such that depending on the device position, a varying number N of detection cells of all A detection cells is close to a holding section (HS),

with the following steps:

i) the railway vehicle is stopped;

ii) all indicator items are moved into the top item position by the actuators, and the actuators are deactivated;

iia) the positions of the indicator items are determined by the sensors, and the number N of indicator items in a top item position are counted and stored for step v);

iii) wait for an arbitrary time interval;

iv) the positions of the indicator items are determined by the sensors, and the number B of indicator items in a bottom item position are counted;

v) if B>

(A−

N) then a cold movement of the railway vehicle having taken place during step iii) is indicated.